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Skjolden – Norway

Travel information Norway

Official currency – Norwegian krone Accepts Euro / US dollars – sometimes in souvenir shops Creditcards – are widely accepted

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About Norway

Inhabitants – 5,1 million Official language – Norwegian and Sami Capital city – Oslo

Kingdom of Norway Government – Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Norwegian language

Good day – God dag How are you? – Hvordan har du det? Thank you – Takk Cruise ship – Cruiseskip Port – Havn

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Cruise port guide Skjolden – Norway: docked

Walk from cruise terminal to town

The center of Skjolden lies about 800 meter/yard from the cruise terminal. Simply take a left when you exit the cruise terminal and follow the waterline. This automatically brings you to the small town center where you find some shops and the Fjordstova (a tourist/entertainment center).

Public transportation and taxis

Skjolden is a tiny fjord village in central Norway. Facilities are very limited. Public transportation is nearly non-existent and there is only a handful of taxis in town. We highly recommend you to make arrangement that do not rely on public transportation or taxis. In this port you can either stay in town where you can hike or visit the lama farm or you can pre-arrange transportation / shore excursion.

Tourist information

At the cruise terminal you will usually find tourist maps available for you to take with you. There might also be a representative from the tourist information available. The official tourist information centre is located in the Fjordstova center in town. Find the exact location of this centre in the map above. You might also be interested in already downloading their brochures and maps online at the following link: http://en.sognefjord.no/visitor-information/maps-and-guides

Fjordstova center

In the centre of town you will find the Fjordstova center. It is a information and entertainment center. Inside you will find the tourist information, a post office, cafe, handicraft shop, library, auditorium, gym, swimming pool, sauna, climbing wall and shooting range. The center lies approximately 1 km from the cruise dock. Find the exact location of the Fjordstova center in the map above.

Bicycle rental

Are you interested in exploring the area of Skjolden by bicycle? Rent one! You will find a bicycle rental facility at the Adventure tours close to the cruise dock and at the Skjolden hotel in town. Prices for a bicycle per day should be around 300 NOK for an adult, 200 NOK for a child.  

Kayak and boat rental

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This is one of Norway’s most gorgeous national parks. Get close to nature and see the glaciers up close. This is where you will also find the Jostedalsbreen glacier which is the largest glacier on mainland Europe. Find Jostedalsbreen National Park about an hour drive north of Skjolden.

Jostedalsbreen National Park

Jostedalsbreen National Park, Norway

Why not go for a nice 1 hour hike starting in town going to an incredible viewpoint? Total distance is 3,4 km roundtrip and the elevation is 120 meter. Download and print the route via the following link: http://www.skjolden.com/turar/06_eng.pdf

Sengjaberget viewpoint

Skjolden, Norway

There are only a handful of stave churches left in Norway. The oldest is the Urnes stave church, which was build around 1130 AD. It is listed on the UNESCO world heritage list for its beauty and educational value. Enjoy this fascinating and unique piece of architecture which will take you back to times gone by. Find the Urnes Stave Church about 40 minutes drive south of Skjolden.

Urnes Stave church

6870 Ornes, Norway

You might be interested in visiting a unique attraction in the Norwegian fjords: a lama farm. You can visit the farm or even go on a lama walk along the riverside. The farm is located in town. See map above for its exact location.

Skjolden lamas

Gulbrandsgarden, 6876 Skjolden, Norway

This famous waterfall has a free fall of over 218 meters, which makes it one of the highest waterfalls in Norway. You can take a short walk to reach the waterfall. You can also admire the Feigumfossen from the ship as you sail by. Find the waterfall about 14 km / 8 miles away from Skjolden. Find the Feigumfossen about 20 minute drive south of Skjolden.

Feigumfossen

Feigumfossen, Norway

This is the cruise dock of Skjolden. There is a cruise terminal available on the cruise dock with some basic facilities like a souvenir shop and maps. To walk to the city you simply walk from the cruise dock, through the cruise terminal and turn left when you can. Read all the information available about Skjolden cruise port in the cruise port guide.

Skjolden cruise dock

Jotumheimen is known for its high alpine mountain range. It has over 200 mountain peaks over 2000 meter / 6500 ft. This national park is home to glaciers, lakes and many waterfalls. Go for a scenic drive on the tourist route Sognefjellsvegen, which is the highest mountain pass in Northern Europe. Find Jotunheimen National Park about 40 minute drive east drive of Skjolden.

Jotunheimen National Park

Jotunheimen National Park, Norway

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Skjolden Cruise Port information

Skjolden is a cruise port in Norway that we have had the pleasure of visiting many times. This post is full of information about Skjolden and what we you can do in this beautiful part of the world!

Skjolden Cruise Port Information - Where is Skjolden?

The village of Skjolden (pronounced Sholden) is situated in the municipality of Luster in Vestland County, Western Norway. It is at the head of the Sognefjorden the longest navigable fjord in the world and is 130 miles from the sea making the sail in an event in itself.

With a population of just 300 if  the hustle and bustle of the big city is what you are after then you are in the wrong place, however, if its peace and tranquillity combined with stunning scenery then you are definitely in the right place.

Skjolden Cruise Port Information - What is there to see?

Skjolden is known as the gateway to the national parks as it has three of the most famous national parks Jotunheimen, Breheimen and Jostedalsbreen within very close proximity to the village. It also boast 20 of the highest peaks in Scandinavia and if that’s not enough it also has the oldest Urnes Stave Church in the world and the Jostedal Glacier, the largest glacier on the European mainland.

Skjolden Cruise Port Information - Shopping and Refreshments in Skjolden

Skjolden is fairly small, however there is a hotel and visitors centre and cafe which is a short walk from the port, just follow the road past the white houses go left over the bridge and you will find them there.

The visitors centre is also a big part of the community and also boasts a swimming pool, a climbing wall, a 25 metre pistol shooting range, a fitness studio and a 15 seater movie room.

It’s hard to find anywhere in Skjolden that doesn’t have an amazing view and the cafe at the visitors centre is no exception, but as with everywhere in Norway the beautiful comes at a price with a Pepsi and a bar of chocolate costing 67 Nok (about £6) so almost triple the price of the UK. If essentials are what you are after there is also a small supermarket selling anything from deodorant and toothpaste to fresh breads and pizza. We have also included the prices of other groceries in our Skjolden Vlog you will find below.

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Skjolden Cruise Port Information - Must do!

Our must do in Skjolden is definitely the rib adventure, a rigid inflatable boat that picks you up about a five minute walk from the cruise dock and takes you on a beautiful scenic ride down the fjord taking in some of the most spectacular scenery. We booked this prior to our Cunard Queen Mary 2 cruise.

All equipment is provided by the rib operators, waterproof suits, hats, goggles and gloves and cost us £60 each which we thought was excellent value for money and we loved every minute!

We booked this tour independently through Adventure Tours Norway and it was extremely easy.

Skjolden Cruise Port Information - Other Options

Another recommendation comes via our good friends Bob and Holly of Innocents Abroad  and that is a visit to Skjolden llamas a family run llama farm started in 2005 with just two llamas but now have a heard of 30, the tour includes seeing how they live feeding them and even taking them for a walk.

Bob and Holly were joined by friends Alfie and Jackie and they all agreed it was great fun and definitely worth a visit, you can even buy untreated llama wool at the end of your visit. They booked this excursion through the cruise line but we are sure it would be easy to book it direct with Skjolden llamas, prices start from 150 nok £13 for up to 3 people for a 30 minute visit but longer tours are available.

You can find out more about Bob and Hollies llama visit by watching their video all about it here.

Skjolden Cruise Port Information Verdict

There is no doubt skjolden is one of the most beautiful ports we have visited and we would definitely recommend a visit. With potential rule changes regarding cruise ships entering Norwegian Fjords in 2026 we suggest you do it sooner rather than later!

We loved our visits to Skjolden and will definitely be back!

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Skjolden (Sognefjord, Norway)

Cruise port schedule, live map, terminals, news.

Region Baltic - Norwegian Fjords - Russia

Local Time 2024-10-11 20:45

Port Skjolden cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Skjolden, Sognefjord, Norway. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link.

Skjolden is a port town located in Luster municipality (Sogn og Fjordane, Norway). The village is at the end of Lustrafjorden (branch of Sognefjorden) and at Sognefjord's innermost point. Sognefjorden's length (measured from Skjolden to Ytre Sula Island / where the fjord meets the sea) is 205 km (124 mi), ranking it the world's longest fjord. The valleys Fortunsdal and Morkridsdal meet at Skjolden, west of Hurrungane Mountains.

Skjolden lies along Sognefjellsvegen road, 20 km (12 mi) west of lake Prestesteinsvatnet and Fannaraki mountain. The village is also about 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Gaupne's municipal center and about 35 km (22 mi) northeast of Hafslo. Breheimen National Park is north of Skjolden. It is home of the glaciers Sporteggbreen and Harbardsbreen and the mountain Tverradalskyrkja.

The village of Skjolden was home to the Austrian-British philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) between 1913-1914. He wrote some of his most important works here.

A must-see is Urnes Stave Church - Norway's oldest stave church (13th-century) and an outstanding example of Scandinavia's wooden architecture that combines Viking, Romanesque and Celtic. In Jostedalsbreen National Park, travelers can see everything from fjords to farms, green valleys, barren mountains and glaciers, with peaks up to 2000 m. In the heart of the beautiful landscapes stands Jostedal Glacier (Europe's largest) where tourists can walk on the ice. Jotunheimen National Park is one of Norway's most popular hiking- and fishing-themed travel destinations. Park's wildlife includes deer (also reindeer), elk, skunk bears (wolverines), lynx.

In 2019, the cruise port handled 12 ship calls and 24,000+ tourists (passengers and crew). For season 2020, the port had scheduled 23 ship calls (booked berthings).

Skjolden cruise terminal

Port Skjolden has no vessel size restrictions (as max LOA length or draught). The cruise terminal is served by a 127-m (417-ft) long pier. Larger liners anchor and transport/ferry their passengers to the pier via ship's tender boats.

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Skjolden is the innermost cruise port of Norway, located at the head of the longest navigable fjord in the world - Sognefjorden. The approach is via the picturesque Lusterfjord, close to Jostedalsbreen, the largest glacier on the European mainland and ends at the foot of the highest mountains in Norway - the Jotunheimen National Park. The fjord is surrounded by several of Norway's major attractions – accessible on short transits!

A brand new floatable SeaWalk cruise pier capable of accommodating ships of any size. New service/visitor's center. Tender quay with four berthing places also available.

Center of Skjolden is approx 700 meters away, and along the walking path there will be a marina, a restaurant, an art gallery etc by the fjord

Cruise calendar for this port. K=Seawalk pier,A=Tender

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Live Nautical Chart with Wikipedia Markers

Port Location on Google Maps

Monthly Climate Averages for Skjolden Norway

Sightseeing:

The world's longest passable fjord, the Sognefjord, lies in the heart of the Norwegian fjord country and extends more than 200 km (120 miles) inland. At the head of the fjord you'll find the small, idyllic village of Skjolden . The Lusterfjord is the innermost arm of the Sognefjord, and this region, where the deep fjord meets the glaciers and Norway's highest mountains, is considered one of the world's most beautiful travel destinations. Along both shores of this very picturesque fjord arm there are villages and lush cultural landscapes where fruits and berries are grown on small, idyllic farms. From the fjord you can also see many mountain farms and some of the highest waterfalls in Norway. Most of the year the Lusterfjord has a beautiful bright, green colour because of the melt water from the glaciers

Tours Excursions Transportation:

It pays to compare your cruise line tours here .

Nearby Places:

Skjolden is surrounded by several of Norway's major attractions. Jotunheimen National Park is only a few minutes drive away, and offers spectacular scenery with high alpine mountain ranges, glaciers, lakes and waterfalls. Sognefjellsvegen, the national scenic route through this unique mountain area, is the highest mountain pass in Northern Europe. Just an hour's drive from the port, through the famous Jostedalen valley, the impressive Jostedalsbreen Glacier can be viewed at close range. Urnes Stave Church is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site and Norway's oldest stave church. Some of Norway's highest waterfalls, such as the majestic Feigumfossen, can also be seen from the fjord.

Shopping and Food

Very limited shopping facilities exist in Skjolden. There is a Co-op supermarket and a souvenir shop is located in Fjordstova Community center, which also houses a cafe, library, internet cafe and swimming pool.

The Norwegian currency is the Norwegian crown (norske krone), abbreviated kr. A 1/100th krone is called øre. 1.00 EUR = about 8 NOK

ATMs in Norway are called Minibank.

Nearly all stores accept major credit cards such as Mastercard and Visa (Bring your passport/driver's license, as you are required to identify yourself when using a credit card).

Currency Converter

Communication:

Norwegian is the official language of Norway. The language is very close and mutually intelligible with the two other Scandinavian languages, English widely spoken.

Most Norwegian households are connected to the internet in some way (often broadband), making Cybercafés hard to find outside major cities, due to a relatively small market. Most public libraries have free public access to the internet. WiFi is in many spots (not free).

Opening Hours and Holidays:

Opening hours in Norway are better than they used to be, but many smaller stores still close early on Saturday (1 PM or 3 PM is typical) and nearly everything is closed on Sundays. You'll often see opening hours written as "9-21 (9-18)" on doors, meaning 9 AM to 9 PM weekdays, 9 AM to 6 PM Saturday.

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Fjord Cruise UNESCO Nærøyfjord

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Gateway to the national parks

Skjolden - at the end of Norway’s longest fjord. Photo: Karlis Bremers

Why Skjolden?

The charming village of Skjolden is called the “Gateway to the national parks” due to the short distance to no less than three of the most iconic national parks in Norway – Jotunheimen, Breheimen and Jostedalsbreen. The village is a 30-minute drive from Northern Europe’s highest mountain pass, Sognefjellet Mountain Road (1434 m.a.s.l.). From here, you can enjoy stunning views of Breheimen and Jotunheimen – including the 20 highest peaks in Scandinavia. 

Skjolden is home to the UNESCO-listed Urnes Stave Church – the world’s oldest stave church – and the Jostedal Glacier, which is the largest glacier on European mainland.

The approach is by the picturesque Lustrafjord, the innermost branch of Norway’s longest and deepest fjord – the Sognefjord. The fjord has a distinct emerald green colour owing to melting water from the glaciers. Along the shoreline, you will see beautiful villages and lush cultural landscapes. 

What to see & do in Skjolden

Visit our main attractions with the popular guided excursions to the Sognefjellet Mountain Road, Urnes Stave Church and Jostedal Glacier.

Alongside the guided excursions, there are a variety of things to do in Skjolden and the surrounding area, including:

• Hikes to various viewpoints and waterfalls within walking distance from the port
• Various adventures & safaris by rigid inflatable boat (RIB)
• Renting bikes or joining a guided bike ride along the Romantic Road
• Glacier hikes & rafting in the Jostedalen valley
• Farm visit & llama safari for the whole family in Skjolden
• Kayak & SUP-rentals
• Helicopter flights
• Cultural walk to the philosopher Wittgenstein’s cottage
• Relaxing at one of the cafés & souvenir shopping

Who is this destination suitable for?

With a population of 300, Skjolden is suitable for those who seek a stay at a charming and authentic fjord village – away from the busy and crowded city life. Breathtaking nature-based experiences and proximity to some of Norway’s most iconic attractions are our biggest strengths as a cruise destination. This makes Skjolden suitable for those who visit Norway to experience the amazing fjord scenery and enjoy nature-based attractions.

Our main cruise ship pier (127.5 m) can take medium to large cruise ships, while small vessels can easily anchor and use the tender pier closer to the town centre.